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Chris Wesseling

Football Daily Dose

Thanksgiving Lore

Although the Thanksgiving Classic has been regularly scheduled since the NFL's 1920 inception, football on Turkey Day actually predates the league's formation. There are records of professional football games on Thanksgiving going back to 1902, when the "National" football league held its championship game over the holiday weekend. Not for the last time, the game ended in controversy when a tie resulted in three different teams claiming the league's title. Let's take a spin through the NFL's Thanksgiving lore going back 90 years.

The Staley Swindle, 1921: Back when the NFL was still called the American Professional Football Association, the undefeated Buffalo All-Americans squared off against George "Papa Bear" Halas' undefeated Chicago Staleys for all the marbles on Thanksgiving Day. When the All-Americans emerged victorious while sewing up the league title, Halas demanded a rematch. Buffalo agreed on the condition that the game be considered only a "post-season exhibition match," not counting toward the final standings.

Worn out from beating a tough Akron Pros team the day before, the All-Americans fell to the Staleys in the grudge match. Halas quickly scheduled two more games against the Canton Bulldogs and Chicago Cardinals so his team could finish with a better percentage than the All-Americans' 9-1-2. Papa Bear also strong-armed the league into instituting a tie-breaker rule stating that a victory in a rematch carries more weight than a first matchup. As the "curse" goes, no major Buffalo sports franchise would ever win another championship (if one considers the AFL a "minor" league when the Bills won titles in 1964 and 1965).

The Galloping Ghost Debuts, 1925: Harold "Red" Grange, the NFL's first bona fide national star, led the Chicago Bears to a scoreless tie against the Chicago Cardinals at Wrigley Field in front of the largest crowd in pro football history (35,000).

Ernie Nevers Is a One-Man Show, 1929: Establishing a record that still stands, Chicago Cardinals Hall of Famer Ernie Nevers scored six touchdowns and accounted for all 40 points in a blowout victory over the cross-town rival Bears.

Detroit Begins a Tradition, 1934: The Lions' 19-16 loss to the Bears not only marked the first of 71 Thanksgiving games in Detroit, it was also the first NFL game to be broadcast nationally (on NBC radio).

The Thanksgiving Massacre, 1962: The Packers lost only one game in their 1962 championship season, and what a doozy it was. Led by the "Mad Duck" Alex Karras, Dick "Night Train" Lane, and All-Pro Roger Brown (five sacks plus assists on two others), the Lions took down Hall of Fame QB Bart Starr a record 11 times in what became known as the "Thanksgiving Massacre."

Clint Longley's One-Shot Wonder (Video), 1974: Hall of Famer Roger Staubach was knocked out of the game with the Cowboys trailing 16-3 to the Redskins. Unknown rookie Clint Longley came on and rallied the troops for an improbable victory behind two deep touchdowns. One teammate, alluding to Longley's lack of preparation, called the victory a "triumph for the uncluttered mind."

The Juice Is Loose, 1976: Running behind the "Electric Company" (they turn on the Juice), O.J. Simpson broke free for a then-NFL record 273 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-14 loss at Detroit.

The Bounty Bowl, 1989: The first of two Bounty Bowls, so-called because Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson accused Buddy Ryan's Eagles of taking out a $200 bounty on Dallas kicker Luis Zendejas, cut by Philly earlier in the season. There were also allegations that Ryan had a bounty out on Troy Aikman in the 27-0 Eagles shutout. In the post-game press conference, Johnson made it known that he went looking for Ryan after the game only to find that the Eagles coach had "put his big, fat rear end into the dressing room."

Leon Lett in the Snow (Video), 1993: In a rare snow-filled game at Texas stadium, the Cowboys took a 14-13 lead into the final 20 seconds with Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich attempting a 41-yard field goal. The kick was blocked, NBC's Dick Enberger proclaimed "The Cowboys will win," and then DT Leon Lett inexplicably chased the ball down and slid into it. Stoyanovich nailed the game-winner from 20 yards out after the Dolphins recovered the ball. Lett's boner came just 10 months after his showboating in the Super Bowl cost him a touchdown when the Bills' Don Beebe chased him down.

Barry Goes Bananas, 1997: In the midst of an incredible 14 straight games over the century mark and on the way to his only 2,000-yard season, Barry Sanders torched the Bears for 167 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-20 victory. In the process, Sanders passed Eric Dickerson for second on the all-time rushing list.

Randy Moss' Revenge, 1998: Vikings rookie Randy Moss had his national coming out party two months earlier with 190 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers on Monday Night Football. Passed over by the Cowboys twice in the first round of the draft, Moss hauled in three bombs -- all touchdowns -- for 163 yards in a 46-36 victory at Dallas. Youtube has the grainy videos of Score No. 1, Score No. 2, and Score No. 3.

Jerome Bettis vs. Phil Luckett (Video), 1998: The Lions rallied to send the game to overtime, leading to the NFL's first coin-toss controversy. Jerome Bettis began to softly call "heads" before loudly switching to "tails" as referee Phil Luckett tossed the coin. Though it came up "tails," the Lions were awarded the ball because Luckett heard "heads" first. The Lions went on to win the game on their first possession, and NFL rules now state that team captains must call the coin before it's tossed.

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Although the Thanksgiving Classic has been regularly scheduled since the NFL's 1920 inception, football on Turkey Day actually predates the league's formation. There are records of professional football games on Thanksgiving going back to 1902, when the "National" football league held its championship game over the holiday weekend. Not for the last time, the game ended in controversy when a tie resulted in three different teams claiming the league's title. Let's take a spin through the NFL's Thanksgiving lore going back 90 years.

The Staley Swindle, 1921: Back when the NFL was still called the American Professional Football Association, the undefeated Buffalo All-Americans squared off against George "Papa Bear" Halas' undefeated Chicago Staleys for all the marbles on Thanksgiving Day. When the All-Americans emerged victorious while sewing up the league title, Halas demanded a rematch. Buffalo agreed on the condition that the game be considered only a "post-season exhibition match," not counting toward the final standings.

Worn out from beating a tough Akron Pros team the day before, the All-Americans fell to the Staleys in the grudge match. Halas quickly scheduled two more games against the Canton Bulldogs and Chicago Cardinals so his team could finish with a better percentage than the All-Americans' 9-1-2. Papa Bear also strong-armed the league into instituting a tie-breaker rule stating that a victory in a rematch carries more weight than a first matchup. As the "curse" goes, no major Buffalo sports franchise would ever win another championship (if one considers the AFL a "minor" league when the Bills won titles in 1964 and 1965).

The Galloping Ghost Debuts, 1925: Harold "Red" Grange, the NFL's first bona fide national star, led the Chicago Bears to a scoreless tie against the Chicago Cardinals at Wrigley Field in front of the largest crowd in pro football history (35,000).

Ernie Nevers Is a One-Man Show, 1929: Establishing a record that still stands, Chicago Cardinals Hall of Famer Ernie Nevers scored six touchdowns and accounted for all 40 points in a blowout victory over the cross-town rival Bears.

Detroit Begins a Tradition, 1934: The Lions' 19-16 loss to the Bears not only marked the first of 71 Thanksgiving games in Detroit, it was also the first NFL game to be broadcast nationally (on NBC radio).

The Thanksgiving Massacre, 1962: The Packers lost only one game in their 1962 championship season, and what a doozy it was. Led by the "Mad Duck" Alex Karras, Dick "Night Train" Lane, and All-Pro Roger Brown (five sacks plus assists on two others), the Lions took down Hall of Fame QB Bart Starr a record 11 times in what became known as the "Thanksgiving Massacre."

Clint Longley's One-Shot Wonder (Video), 1974: Hall of Famer Roger Staubach was knocked out of the game with the Cowboys trailing 16-3 to the Redskins. Unknown rookie Clint Longley came on and rallied the troops for an improbable victory behind two deep touchdowns. One teammate, alluding to Longley's lack of preparation, called the victory a "triumph for the uncluttered mind."

The Juice Is Loose, 1976: Running behind the "Electric Company" (they turn on the Juice), O.J. Simpson broke free for a then-NFL record 273 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-14 loss at Detroit.

The Bounty Bowl, 1989: The first of two Bounty Bowls, so-called because Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson accused Buddy Ryan's Eagles of taking out a $200 bounty on Dallas kicker Luis Zendejas, cut by Philly earlier in the season. There were also allegations that Ryan had a bounty out on Troy Aikman in the 27-0 Eagles shutout. In the post-game press conference, Johnson made it known that he went looking for Ryan after the game only to find that the Eagles coach had "put his big, fat rear end into the dressing room."

Leon Lett in the Snow (Video), 1993: In a rare snow-filled game at Texas stadium, the Cowboys took a 14-13 lead into the final 20 seconds with Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich attempting a 41-yard field goal. The kick was blocked, NBC's Dick Enberger proclaimed "The Cowboys will win," and then DT Leon Lett inexplicably chased the ball down and slid into it. Stoyanovich nailed the game-winner from 20 yards out after the Dolphins recovered the ball. Lett's boner came just 10 months after his showboating in the Super Bowl cost him a touchdown when the Bills' Don Beebe chased him down.

Barry Goes Bananas, 1997: In the midst of an incredible 14 straight games over the century mark and on the way to his only 2,000-yard season, Barry Sanders torched the Bears for 167 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-20 victory. In the process, Sanders passed Eric Dickerson for second on the all-time rushing list.

Randy Moss' Revenge, 1998: Vikings rookie Randy Moss had his national coming out party two months earlier with 190 yards and two touchdowns against the Packers on Monday Night Football. Passed over by the Cowboys twice in the first round of the draft, Moss hauled in three bombs -- all touchdowns -- for 163 yards in a 46-36 victory at Dallas. Youtube has the grainy videos of Score No. 1, Score No. 2, and Score No. 3.

Jerome Bettis vs. Phil Luckett (Video), 1998: The Lions rallied to send the game to overtime, leading to the NFL's first coin-toss controversy. Jerome Bettis began to softly call "heads" before loudly switching to "tails" as referee Phil Luckett tossed the coin. Though it came up "tails," the Lions were awarded the ball because Luckett heard "heads" first. The Lions went on to win the game on their first possession, and NFL rules now state that team captains must call the coin before it's tossed.

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Patriots at Lions

Tom Brady (foot) caused a mini-stir when he was listed as questionable after missing a second straight practice Wednesday. Both he and Fred Taylor (questionable, toe) made the trip to Detroit, and the Boston Globe's Greg Bedard confirms that Brady is in no danger of missing the game. We have Brady confidently ranked as the No. 5 fantasy QB for week 12.

Jahvid Best (probable, toe) was limited again in Wednesday's practice. It looks like he's going to give it a go, but Maurice Morris is expected to handle the majority of the backfield touches this week. Morris is a weak flex option if Best suits up. … Tony Scheffler (ribs) is listed as doubtful, leaving Brandon Pettigrew as an elite TE1 option this week. … Kicker Jason Hanson (knee) said he'll not only be out for Week 12, but possibly longer. Dave Rayner handle field goals again for the Lions (33-35-2 on Thanksgiving).

Saints at Cowboys

Pierre Thomas (ankle) and Ladell Betts (head/neck) have been ruled out at Dallas (27-14-1 all-time on Thanksgiving). … Reggie Bush (leg) and Jeremy Shockey (ribs) are both listed as questionable. Coach Sean Payton isn't talking, but "all indications" are that Bush will finally return to game action Thursday with an expected workload of 8-14 touches. Neither he nor Chris Ivory is any better than a flex play. … Shockey's status remains up in the air, and he has the look of a game-time decision. Hotshot rookie Jimmy Graham's chances for a big game are obviously much greater if Shockey sits.

Felix Jones (hip) is listed as questionable after turning in a limited practice Wednesday. The Dallas Morning News' Todd Archer has a "hunch" that Jones will play, but it may come down to pre-game warmups. Jones is always a risky fantasy play even when healthy, Marion Barber is devoid of all playmaking ability, and Tashard Choice's workload is a mystery.

Bengals at Jets

Carson Palmer (foot) returned to practice Wednesday and is listed as probable for the Bengals' first ever appearance on Thanksgiving. … Jerricho Cotchery (groin) has been ruled out for Thursday evening's game, with Brad Smith ascending to the No. 3 role. … Jets RT Damien Wood (sprained MCL) will be replaced by capable backup Wayne Hunter.

Bradshaw Fumbles Away Starting Job

Coach Tom Coughlin announced that a fumble-prone Ahmad Bradshaw has lost his starting job to Brandon Jacobs this week. Coughlin insisted that Bradshaw will stay involved, but he also mentioned wanting to expand Danny Ware's role. After losing his fifth fumble in Week 11, Bradshaw acknowledged that he doesn't know how carries will be divided in the Giants' backfield against the Jags. On a positive note, Jacobs believes the switch is "only temporary" because Bradshaw is too explosive to exclude from the offense. We expect Jacobs and Bradshaw to be in the neighborhood of 14-16 touches in a plus matchup with both starting receivers out.

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Around the League: According to NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora, coach Marvin Lewis "very, very unlikely" to be back with the Bengals in 2011, and the foursome of Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, Chad Ochocinco, and Terrell Owens are expected to follow him out the door. … Coach Chan Gailey "can't envision" Ryan Fitzpatrick not starting for the Bills in 2011. … Tyler Thigpen and Chad Henne (knee) are splitting reps this week, and the Dolphins aren't expected to name a quarterback until just before game time Sunday. … Due to his familiarity with the Panthers, Jake Delhomme will get the nod at quarterback this week with Colt McCoy (high ankle sprain) ruled out. … Rookie Emmanuel Sanders has bypassed Antwaan Randle El as the Steelers' No. 3 receiver. … Titans coach Jeff Fisher indicated that he was not satisfied with Vince Young's (injured reserve, thumb) text-message apology for walking out on his team. … Fisher also revealed that offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger is "very sick" with cancer and will begin undergoing chemotherapy treatments. … Giants claimed WR Devin Thomas off waivers from the Panthers. … Redskins signed RB Andre Brown off the Broncos' practice squad. … Raiders signed DE/OLB Jarvis Moss, formerly of the Broncos. … The NFL and Players Union are finally engaging in positive talks toward a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Quarterback Injury Report:Jimmy Clausen (concussion) returned to a full practice and will start at Cleveland barring a late-week setback. … Seneca Wallace admitted Wednesday that he's still not fully recovered from his high right ankle sprain. … Chad Henne (knee) was limited. … Brett Favre (elbow, shoulder, flu) was limited, as usual.

Tight End Injury Report:Zach Miller (foot) was able to practice on a limited basis Wednesday. … Antonio Gates (foot) and Randy McMichael (hamstring) were both held out of practice Wednesday. … Tony Moeaki (head) returned to Chiefs practice on a limited basis. … Ben Watson (ankle) was held out Wednesday. … Kellen Winslow (knee) missed practice as a routine off day. … Owen Daniels sat out practice and remains "day to day" with a lingering hamstring injury.

Chris Wesseling is a senior football editor and Dynasty league analyst for Rotoworld.com. The 2011 NFL season marks his fifth year with Rotoworld and his third year contributing to NBCSports.com. He can be found on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.Email :Chris Wesseling